Human Dignity and Bioethics

34 | F. Daniel Davis
not respect geographical and cultural boundaries.
Finally, a prediction—and an acknowledgement of the partial
truth of Ruth Macklin’s complaint. Many of the essays in this volume
do explore in depth the complex and divergent meanings of
human dignity and thus fill a void left open by the published work
of the President’s Council—until now. I predict, however, that after
carefully reading and reflecting on these essays, most readers will reject
Macklin’s conclusion that human dignity is a “useless” concept
and will, instead, find their understanding of questions and issues in
contemporary bioethics deepened and enriched. That is the hope and
aim of the President’s Council in publishing this volume of essays on
the bioethical significance of human dignity.